The most common include a viral infection, allergies, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Treatment with certain medications such as ACE inhibitors can also contribute to achronic cough.
This article describes some of the common and uncommon causes of a nonstop cough.
Verywell / JR Bee
It also explains how a chronic cough is diagnosed and treated and when you should see a healthcare provider.
Less common causes include fungi and parasites.
Examples include:
Coughs can be triggered by an abnormal response of theimmune system.
Seasonal allergies, includingallergic rhinitis(hay fever), can cause a chronic cough.
Environmental allergies tomold exposure, dust mites, and cat dander can also cause chronic coughing.
Asthma is a chronic condition that causes the airways to swell.
Asthma can make it difficult to breathe, which can trigger coughing.
Bronchiectasis
This is a condition that comes up whenever the airways become damaged and widened.
Causes ofbronchiectasisinclude prior childhood infection,immune deficiency, and conditions likecystic fibrosisorconnective tissue diseases.
This is the valve through which food passes from theesophagus(feeding tube) into the stomach.
GERDis a chronic form of acid reflux.Chronic coughing can occur at night when lying down.
It’s followed by a hoarse cough in the morning due to esophageal inflammation.
Here are some home remedies, over-the-counter medications, and prescription medications that can soothe or cure a cough.
Examples include:
Note that cough and cold medications aren’t recommended for children under the age of 4.
If in doubt, check the manufacturer’s label.
Kids' cough medicine labels often say that the products shouldn’t be given to children under age 4.
Children should never take a cough medicine meant for adults, since it can overdose a child.
Home remedies can help ease your child’s cough.
Some of these include:
You should not give honey to a child under the age of 1 year.
This is because of the risk of botulism, a dangerous bacterial infection.
Can’t Stop Coughing?
This may include listening tolung soundswith astethoscope.
When you have a wet (productive) cough, you bring up phlegm when you cough.
Your cough may be described as rattling or congested.
When you have a dry (unproductive) cough, you do not cough up phlegm.
Instead, your cough may be hoarse, hacking, or barking.
Less common causes includetuberculosisand cancer.
The treatment varies by the cause but could include simple home remedies such as steam or honey.
Over-the-counter medications like cough drops or expectorants may help provide relief.
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European Respiratory Society.Bronchiectasis.Breathe.
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Mount Sinai.Eucalyptus.
Food and Drug Administration.Use caution when giving cough and cold products to kids.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Botulism prevention.
Harvard Health Publishing.That nagging cough.
Kaplan AG.Chronic cough in adults: Make the diagnosis and make a difference.Pulm Ther.
2019;5(1):11-21. doi:10.1007/s41030-019-0089-7
National Library of Medicine.Nasal swab.
